The 7 Essentials of Graphic Design [Paperback]

Allison Goodman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2001

This book is the perfect desk reference for anyone who designs or works with designers. It reduces the complexities of today's design work into seven basic elements: Research, Typography, Contrast, Layout, Grid Systems, Identity Design and Critique & Analysis. These seven fundamentals of design are examined separately in compelling chapters that show designers how to: Create dynamic layouts with visual tension and asymmetrical balance; Recognize and solve color problems; Use grids to design multiple pages of the same publication; Design memorable logos and logotypes; Every topic is explained through an analysis of good and bad examples, anecdotes and other instruction. The closing chapter discusses how all of the elements blend together; illustrated by a gallery of inspirational design work. A must for anyone who works in visual communication.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Allison Goodman has been a practicing designer for twenty years in the fields of print, information and environment and digital design. A CD-ROM produced by her students received numerous awards, including the American Center for Design 100 Award and the Milia New Talent Award. She lives in Glendale, California.

Product Details

• Paperback: 114 pages
• Publisher: How Design Books; 1st edition (September 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1581801246
• ISBN-13: 978-1581801248
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,291,449 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Interesting, but flawed, April 10, 2002

By 

"thunkstudio" (Salem, MA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The 7 Essentials of Graphic Design (Paperback)

A so-so introduction to design principles, marred by a misleading typography chapter. Simply put, Ms. Goodman's use of terminology is often wrong: for example, she uses the term Modern as a label for all sans-serifs, then classifies Bodoni as a Transitional; she calls Optima and Gill Sans Grotesques â€" they're not â€", and, most galling, she manages to get the definitions of "font" and "typeface" exactly backwards. Mere details? Perhaps, but one can easily make the argument that typography is about details. As far as the rest of the book is concerned, though it has some nice examples, the layout makes it difficult to use as a reference, and the text fails to provide much of a historical context. It is also almost exclusively American.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Fair Book, But the Design!!, November 8, 2002

By 

R. Miller "R. Miller" (Aurora, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The 7 Essentials of Graphic Design (Paperback)

This book offers a rather general overview of graphic design, and does that job pretty well. The seven essentials referred to in the title are: research, typography, contrast, layout, the grid system, identity design and critique/analysis. The author does a good job giving the basics of each of these elements.

The problem with books on design is that the authors and publishers feel compelled to "design" the book. This book suffers from that affliction. The examples in the book are relevant and appreciated and the graphics in the introductory pages and in between chapters, while unnecessarily artsy, are not objectionable.

The biggest fault in this book? The typography - several times over! The layout of the text is distracting and occasionally hard to follow, but the choice of typeface and size is totally beyond comprehension. Unless this book was designed only for those under the age of thirty who have perfect (or better) vision, the designer missed her/his mark. It is very tiring and difficult to read and, being over fifty, I found my eyes begging for relief.

So - content is OK, though in a minimalist sense. Overall design of the book is what would be expected of a design book. But do not buy this book if you have any trouble reading small type, or at the least, buy a magnifying glass at the same time. You'll need it.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Terrible Book! Layout was horrible!, March 5, 2009

By 

Jesse Jones (CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The 7 Essentials of Graphic Design (Paperback)

I'll start off with the only compliment I can muster up: the content is 'alright.' Besides mediocre content, this book is terrible!

The layout is horrible and the typography is a perfect textbook example of how NOT to write a design book. This book is on the essentials of Graphic Design and its obvious, by the author's lack of understanding of typography, that she does NOT have a firm grasp on them.

Please please please find a better book on graphic design essentials, but if you must read this one, check it out from a library first.